Nathalie Tadena

Why did you decide to attend business school?

Before business school, I was a reporter at the Wall Street Journal. As a reporter, I saw first-hand how technology was changing the media industry. I knew I wanted to come to business school to better understand technology and also gain a skill set for how to lead an organization as the marketplace changes.

Why did you choose Columbia Business School?

Columbia is in the media capital of the world. As someone who’s passionate about media, I wanted to be at a school with a good network of alumni in the media industry as well as great classes on the industry. I also wanted to work with students who share my interest.

What was it like to transition from being a reporter to being a student?

It was definitely challenging. I knew coming in that many of my classmates came from finance and consulting. It’s been an incredible experience to learn from these classmates who have had such different experiences than my own. I’ve been able to share with them the writing and communications skills that I’ve honed.

Can you talk more about how you’ve brought your professional experience as a reporter to the business school experience?

When I was a reporter, I was always asking questions to executives: How do you stay competitive? What’s the future of this industry? These are questions I ask in class, too, about cases we are studying or new topics we’re approaching. I try to bring a journalist’s mindset to exploring business topics.

What has surprised you at Columbia Business School?

I’ve been really surprised at how collaborative the community is. I thought that students would want to study on their own, but I’ve always been able to find classmates who want to work together — from doing homework, to studying, to reviewing answers. Everyone is very supportive.

How have you engaged with the community at the School?

I’m an associate vice president of Women’s Week, which is a part of Columbia Women in Business. Together we plan a week-long program around women’s issues. We aim to provide a well-rounded suite of events and speakers, including women from various industries, entrepreneurs, and investors.

You’re a first-year student. What are your summer plans?

I plan to intern at IBM. I am excited about it because I have always been interested in technology. I want to learn about how technology can impact different industries, especially the media industry.